[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7625-7626]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LIFE OF JUDGE DAVID SILVA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 20, 2015

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Judge David 
Silva. Born in Beeville, Texas, on May 26, 1944, to Marcos and 
Altagracia Silva, Judge Silva passed away on March 16, 2015, after 
losing a long battle with leukemia.
  Judge Silva's life exemplified the American Dream. He graduated from 
A.C. Jones High School in 1963, before joining the U.S. Air Force to 
faithfully serve his country. While in the Air Force, Silva attended 
Boise State College in Idaho and married Yolanda Olivares.
  One year after being honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force, 
Silva graduated from Bee County College. He would go on to earn a 
Bachelor of Arts Degree in American History in 1975 and a Master of 
Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: History, Psychology and 
Sociology from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi, Texas.

[[Page 7626]]

  Judge Silva understood how education would forever transform his 
life. From 1974 until his passing, he taught at Beeville College, 
helping students realize their potential through education.
  In addition to his active role in educating citizens of Beeville, he 
was a church pastor, served on the Juvenile Board to help at-risk 
youth, provided guidance to the Local Emergency Planning Committee, and 
helped plan the future of Beeville. Silva's contributions to his 
community are without equal.
  In 2004, Silva's reputation for fairness, dedication, and love for 
his community earned him an appointment to the Beeville Municipal 
Court. This moment in Silva's life arrived after decades of dedicated 
effort and service to his community. He worked his way through high 
school as a janitor in the same courthouse where he would later serve 
as a judge. He lived a life defined by integrity, commitment and 
dedication.
  Silva would continue to be a pillar of the Beeville community during 
his later years. He found time to help lead community boards as he 
continued his passion for education. His capacity to perform at a high 
level was second to none.
  Our community suffered a tremendous loss with Judge Silva's passing, 
but his legacy will be preserved by the positive change he made in his 
community and through the many students who had the privilege to learn 
from him in the classroom.
  Judge David Silva is survived by his beloved wife of 44 years, 
Yolanda Olivares Silva; his daughters, Cassandra Dianne Silva (Casey 
Hawkins), and Cristianna Dawn Silva Meineke (Aaron Meineke); siblings, 
John Marks Silva, Amado Silva (Zenaida), and Grace Ramirez (Adolfo). He 
is also survived by a granddaughter, Audria Nouvelle Diem Silva.
  On this day, I remember Judge David Silva. May he forever rest in 
peace.

                          ____________________